Rafidah Hj Rosli, the only girl
in the national shorinji kempo
team in Jakarta. Pictures: BT/
Jason Thomas

It does get lonely being the only girl in the national shorinji kempo team.

The petite Rafidah Hj Rosli stands out in the four-member squad that end the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games today as the most titled of the 11 sports that Brunei has sent to Indonesia after picking up two silver medals.

Though she said her teammates don't pick on her, especially since she's the youngest in the team at 21, she has other problems on her mind.

"They're all good and they always help me," said Rafidah.

"But it's tough being the only girl (in the squad) there's no one to talk to!

"Hopefully there'll be more girls competing for Brunei in the future," grinned the first year Mechanical Engineering student at Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB).

Rafidah joined forces with Muhammad Ali-Rashid Alipah, Muhamad Shamsul Makmun and Dzulhusmie Hj Kahan to win silver during Sunday's mixed dantai embu (artistic) group yudansha an event in which they combined to impress the crowd and judges.

She also took to the floor at the Ciracas Sports Hall for two other events, but failed to make the podium.

Rafidah and Muhamad Shamsul finished fifth in the pool of seven teams in the mixed kumi embu (artistic) pair yudansha on Saturday and she wasn't able to advance from the pool stage of the women's randori (sparring) below 45kg on Friday after a 5-0 loss to Cambodia's Mimi Yoisaykham, her second in the event.

Muhammad Ali-Rashid and Muhamad Shamsul delivered Brunei their first silver in the sport during Friday's kumi embu (artistic) pair yudansha.

Making the medals all the more meaningful is the fact that the sport was only introduced in Brunei this year, and the 26th edition of the Games marks the first time kempo has been contested at a multi-sport event.

The youngest of three children, Rafidah was grateful her family gave her the green light to represent the Sultanate in the Indonesian capital.

"I really want to thank my parents for letting me come (to Jakarta) for the SEA Games," she said.

"They know I'm the only girl in the team so it was hard for them to give me permission," added the cheerful Rafidah, who was always ready with a smile.

Rafidah and Muhamad Shamsul also finished second in the mixed kumi embu (artistic) pair yudansha during a SEA Games trial at the same venue in September, where the duo combined with Muhammad Ali-Rashid and Pg Hj Mohd Rudiwasni Pg Hj Mohd Daud in the mixed dantai embu (artistic) group yudansha for the other silver.

Courtesy from Brunei Times